VoD viewers watch shows 50% longer

Even with the rise of alternate viewing platforms, more than half of on-demand viewing in the US happens through a cable box. People who access VoD from multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) watch 50 per cent more of any given 30-minute primetime programme than live viewers, and 33 per cent more than time-shifted viewers, according to State of MVPDs’ Video on Demand, a report released by the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB). They’re watching an hour more per month than a year ago, and their ad engagement is climbing as more programmers and distributors adopt dynamic ad insertion technology.

“MVPDs’ VoD viewers are committed to the content,” said Evelyn Skurkovich, VP/ Research & Insights at the VAB. “They are passionate about catching up with these programmes and are willing to watch with ads that can’t be skipped.”

MVPDs’ VoD libraries average more than twice as many titles as Amazon and three times as many as Hulu or Netflix, thanks to a continual programming investment over $50 billion/year. They answer a mounting demand, as fully 68 per cent of all on-demand viewers want even more VoD programmes, younger people in particular, and 67 per cent also say they prefer to watch on the TV set. Overall, viewers turn to VoD primarily for convenience and catching up, at 81 per cent and 73 per cent, respectively.

More than 73 million people access MVPDs’ on-demand libraries. On average, they stay with a 30-minute primetime programme for 24 minutes, vs. 16 minutes for live and 18 minutes for time-shifted TV. They’re engaging with more adds, too. Through June, VoD totalled 9 billion ad impressions, on pace for a substantial increase over 2015 (11.8 billion ad impressions).

“They’re a highly desirable audience for advertisers, and they can’t get enough of favorite TV shows,” said Skurkovich.

Overall, VoD viewers tend to be young, educated and affluent. The majority are under 45, and 34 per cent are under 35. About half have a college or post-graduate degree, and 43 per cent have household incomes over $100,000.